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Contenders, pretenders prepare to start Chase

Jimmie Johnson is among the favorites in the Chase for the Championship. The Hendrick Motorsports driver won three times this season and won consecutive Sprint Cup titles from 2006-2010.

JOLIET, Ill. — Denny Hamlin has the most wins; Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson have the most experience; and Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon have the most momentum entering Sunday’s start of the Chase for the Championship.

Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Clint Bowyer have been the most consistent during the regular season, while Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. have been all over the board most of the season.

But starting with the Geico 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, it doesn’t matter how all 12 got into the playoffs. It only matters what they do in the next 10 races.

A year ago Stewart proved it’s possible to start the Chase ranked last and still win the championship. To do it, however, he had to win five of the 10 races in the playoffs to beat Carl Edwards in a tiebreaker.

Stewart was the longest of long shots a year ago. Although he’s won three times this year, he seems to face tough odds this season because he comes into the playoffs with finishes of 19 or worse in four of the last five races.

Here’s a look at how the Chase should shake out for everyone else:

THE FAVORITES

It’s impossible not to start any talk of championships without mentioning Johnson. He had three wins in the regular season and always seems best prepared for the mechanical and emotional rigors of the playoffs.

He also won a NASCAR-record five consecutive Chases.

Hamlin and Keselowski also have to be considered favorites. Hamlin has a series-best four wins, and his team has come on strong in the past month by winning two of the past three races and leading the most laps in the third race. Keselowski is masterful on the mile-and-a-half tracks (five of the Chase races are on those tracks).

THE CONTENDERS

Biffle (two wins) and Earnhardt (one) haven’t been overpowering in the regular season, but they’ve stockpiled a lot of top 10s and were first and second in points during the regular season.

Stewart has only two top-five finishes since July 7, but he wasn’t much better a year ago when he started his incredible run during the playoffs. .

NEED A LITTLE HELP

Clint Bowyer won the final race of the regular season at Richmond to solidify Michael Waltrip Racing as a championship-caliber race team. He, along with Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth, however, need a little help to avoid a disastrous finish that can doom a title run.

Bowyer has finished 27th or worse four times this year; Kahne has been 20th or worse in two of the past five races; and Kenseth has been 23rd or worse in three of the last seven races.

Jeff Gordon earned his way into the playoffs at Richmond. He is bringing a little swagger with nine finishes of sixth or better in his last 12 races.

NEED A LOT OF HELP

Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. made it into the Chase without a win. That has to change if they want to make a real run at the championship.

Stewart didn’t win during the regular season a year ago, but it’s not likely Harvick or Truex will be able to match Stewart’s five wins down the stretch.